


Caffeine and Cute Hobgoblins

by MellytheHun



Category: Star Trek
Genre: Cute, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Romance, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 12:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8713738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MellytheHun/pseuds/MellytheHun
Summary: Spock arrives on the bridge with uncharacteristic bedhead, unintentionally sending his Captain down a spiral of barely repressed sexual impulses and inappropriate thoughts.





	

It’s Alpha shift and Kirk is a little concerned to have Spock on the bridge soon - he spent the last shift (the shift he _should_ have been sleeping through) in Engineering, helping with some sort of impossible coding issue. Kirk only found out once it was too late to order Engineering to release the poor Vulcan to get some rest, otherwise he would’ve stepped in.

He talked to Bones about it, said that maybe he should send Spock a message and tell him to take the Alpha shift off, but Bones simply reminded him that Spock would be offended by what would inevitably be perceived as a lack of faith in Spock’s work abilities. Kirk solemnly agreed.

He was looking down at his PADD when Spock entered and most everyone on the bridge were at their respective panels, not paying much attention to the lift.

“Captain,” Spock greets.

Looking up from his PADD to see the man next to him, Kirk turns his chair slightly and tilts his head up. His heart bumps and butterflies let loose in his stomach like they did when he was young and somehow even more excitable than he is as an adult.

The heavy bangs of Spock’s dark hair are messily parted, exposing his forehead in a way it typically isn’t and there are a few straying hairs toward the crown of his head. It looks like ruffled raven feathers.

 _… bed head?_ Kirk wonders; his hindbrain sadistically adds, _ohGodhe’sadorable_ \- a reflexive response which Kirk inwardly smacks himself for.

He brings his right hand to his lips, trying to cover a quickly developing smile.

“Commander,” Kirk replies, “I, uh… I hear Engineering gave you quite a time.”

“Yes, one misplaced function and even codes as advanced as those running the Enterprise can become time-consuming issues.”

“I imagine,” Kirk says, “…uh, look, I hate to put you out, Spock, but I’m dying for some caffeine. Would you mind running down to the mess and grabbing me something?”

“Not a problem, Captain,” Spock answers easily, drawing attention finally as he leaves the room.

The attention is drawn due to Kirk’s unusual request and they all know it. When the lift closes and everyone turns to Kirk, he flags his hands and stage-whispers, _“do **not** say anything!”_

Some on the bridge laugh, others take the order very seriously and tuck away into their stations again and Bones rolls his eyes so hard it looks like it hurts.

“What’s that for?”

Bones cocks an unimpressed brow, “he’s gonna be mad later. He'll catch his reflection in something and it'll come back to you, that's all I'm saying. _You’re_ dealing with the fall-out.”

“Aw, come on, Bones! Have you ever seen him less than perfectly groomed? Can I have a little bit of fun? Besides, it’s -” _cute_.

The issue with having Bones as a good friend is that he invests years in examining you like a specimen under a microscope, dedicates the “symptoms,” of your personality or mood shifts to memory and then reads you like an open book.

He knows exactly what word Kirk has just bitten back and Kirk knows that he knows and they both know that the other knows and he’s not going to live this down.

“I’m hiding in the med bay,” Bones warns with an evil smile, “I’ll leave you to your… caffeine and hobgoblins.”

Kirk’s mouth opens to protest, but Bones is already turning away and laughing as he leaves.

When Spock returns, he glances around - he very obviously feels ostracized and probably thinks he’s managed to offend the entire bridge somehow. Kirk feels a little bad, but… seeing Spock even slightly disheveled is a special treat, okay? He just wants to cherish the awkwardness a little longer; Spock is so consistently an icon of grace, control and discipline - that his hair is mussed is just…

 _…it’s kinda sexy_ , Kirk’s traitorous mind supplies.

The bridge is not an appropriate place to start having a sexual identity crisis.

 _Oh my **God** , stop thinking about it_, Kirk tells himself, his heart rate climbing the more he stares at Spock, _he is literally a telepathic being and he can practically smell unprofessionalism from a mile away_ \- his mind produces a pleasing image with a quandary about how exactly their noses might touch if he were to kiss Spock and - _oh mY GOD **STOP THINKING ABOUT IT**_

“Captain?”

“I wasn’t! - I… yes, uhm, Commander?”

Spock’s brow quirks in that familiar way as he offers a mug of tea still steaming, “I repeated your title several times to no verbal response. Are you well? If you are sleep-deprived or otherwise distracted, I would remind you that the Captain’s health is of the utmost significance and you -”

“Right,” Kirk interrupts, taking the mug and grinning down into it, “I got it, Spock. Thank you. I am a little distracted, but nothing the bridge can’t put up with for one night.”

Inclining his head, Spock continues, “very well. Is there anything else I can do for you before taking my station, Captain?”

_There’s a **lot** you can do for me - oH MY GOD **STOP**_

“N-nope. No, no - that’s fine, Commander.”

Still looking slightly concerned, Spock turns about-face and goes to his station with the same poise he always does. As directed, no one on the bridge breathes a word and, while they weren’t blatantly ordered not to, blessedly, no one inquires after why the Captain doesn’t touch his tea or take his eyes off the back of Spock’s head the entire shift.


End file.
